All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and ... · sensory loss and the communication...
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All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and Information for People with Sensory Loss Published July 2013 by NHS Wales
Transcript of All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and ... · sensory loss and the communication...
All Wales Standards for Accessible Communication and
Information for People with Sensory Loss
Published July 2013 by NHS Wales
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All Wales Standards for Accessible
Communication and Information for
People with Sensory Loss
1. Purpose
The purpose of these standards is to ensure that
the communication and information needs of people
with a sensory loss are met when accessing our
healthcare services. Below are set out the
standards of service delivery that people with
sensory loss should expect to be met when they
access healthcare. These standards apply to adults,
young people and children.
2. Definition
The term ‘people with sensory loss’ is used
throughout to refer to the following:
People who are Deaf; deafened or hard of
hearing;
People who are Blind or partially sighted;
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People who are Deafblind: those whose
combined sight and hearing impairment cause
difficulties with communication, access to
information and mobility.
3. Legal Duty
There is a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to
ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to
deliver equality of access to healthcare services for
disabled people. This duty is anticipatory and
requires public bodies to be proactive in making
adjustments to ensure all access and
communication needs are met.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities provides an international standard for
disabled people’s human rights. Effective and
appropriate communication is fundamental to
ensuring services are delivered in ways that
promote dignity and respect. The evidence also
demonstrates that ineffective communication is a
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patient safety issue and can result in poorer health
outcomes.
4. Assessing and Meeting Information and
Communication Needs
All frequently used information leaflets and
documents intended for patients and the public
should be available in accessible formats for people
with sensory loss.
In accordance with the specific duty all public and
patient areas should be assessed to identify the
needs of people with sensory loss. This should
include in particular hospital wards, outpatient
areas, accident and emergency, primary care and
community services. The assessment must involve
people with sensory loss and ensure that their
views are reflected in any proposals to design,
develop or change a service. Effective engagement
is critical to developing relationships of trust and
understanding the experiences of people with
sensory loss as recipients of healthcare.
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These assessments will enable Health Boards and
NHS Trusts to understand and meet the information
and communication needs of people with sensory
loss through robust action planning. An agreed
implementation plan will be led by a designated
senior officer and set out clear timescales and
actions for delivery. The plan will identify and
address the policies, procedures and protocols,
existing and/or in need of development, to effect the
changes required to deliver the Standards.
Progress on the delivery of the plan should be
monitored regularly and reported formally to the
Board.
5. Standards of Service Delivery
Set out below are a number of standards that reflect
best practice in the delivery of accessible
information and communication for people with
sensory loss. The Health Board/NHS Trust is
committed to achieving these standards.
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5.1 Primary Care
People with sensory loss should be asked to
describe their communication needs when they
register with a new GP or primary healthcare
service. Arrangements should also be made to
gather this information for existing patients.
This should describe a patient’s individual
communication needs in a practical way. For
example, a record should not only say that a
patient is Deafblind but also requires written
communication in a minimum of Arial 14pt and
that speech should be clear.
It is important that staff are patient and
sensitive in their approach in asking a patient to
describe their communication and information
needs.
A ‘flagging’ system on a patient’s computer or
paper record should enable practice staff to
understand the needs of the patient when they
attend the practice. This should also apply to
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any patient appointment carried out within the
patient’s home or within a community setting,
including care homes.
Good signage is important in ensuring that
people with sensory loss are able to access the
healthcare they need. To minimise their
anxiety and any confusion all signs should be
clear and easy to understand.
It is important to recognise that environmental
factors influence effective communication with
people who have sensory loss. It is important
to check that the healthcare environment is
accessible and that it encourages effective
communication. This should include lighting,
colour contrasting and background noise.
When patients are referred from primary care
for treatment in secondary care, their
communication needs should be transferred
using the referral process. Patients should not
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have to keep repeating that they have a
sensory loss and the communication support
they require.
People with sensory loss should be able to
make an appointment through a variety of
contact methods as a telephone based
appointment system may be inaccessible to
them. This would include email, text
messaging, textphones and websites.
All appropriate staff should be trained in any
communication systems provided by the health
board. This should include developing their
awareness of the need for different forms of
communication.
All reception and consultation areas should be
fitted with a hearing loop induction system or
other appropriate technology, for example,
portable hearing loops, allowing hearing aid
users to make full use of their hearing aids in a
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potentially noisy setting. Staff should be
capable of checking that loops are functioning,
and know how to use them. There should be
appropriate signage to make patients aware of
the provision of a loop system.
All staff should be trained in how to
communicate effectively with someone with a
sensory loss. This training should reflect a
person centred approach which encourages
staff to use clear speech and respond
appropriately to individual needs. This is
particularly important for clinical staff as
patients need to understand what is being
communicated to them when they attend for a
consultation.
When patients with sensory loss arrive at a
primary healthcare setting there should be
arrangements in place to ensure that they do
not miss their appointments. For example, a
member of the reception team could make sure
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that a patient with sensory loss is made aware
of when the GP is ready to see them.
Every patient or service user who requires
communication support should have this need
met, by for example, arranging a British Sign
Language Interpreter or Lipspeaker or
providing a hearing loop induction system. It is
important to have an awareness of other
communication methods that may not be as
well known, for example, speech to text or live
captioning.
Appropriate communication support should
also be provided to people with sensory loss
who may be attending an appointment in the
capacity of a carer or as the parent of a child.
It is also important to recognise any other
language need that a patient with sensory loss
may have, for example, the Welsh language or
other minority languages. In every instance it
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is important to ask the individual patient to
describe their needs.
For those patients and service users who are
blind or have a visual impairment, letters
should be sent out in accessible formats, for
example Braille or larger font. In every
instance where written communication is
required with a person with sensory loss, the
individual patient should be asked to indicate
the appropriate format for them and this should
be provided.
It is important that the different forms of
communication are promoted to patients and
service users with sensory loss and they are
encouraged to access them.
Healthcare professionals have a responsibility
to make certain that patients with sensory loss
leave the healthcare setting having heard and
understood everything they need to know about
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their healthcare. Appropriate procedures
should be in place to ensure that information is
conveyed clearly to patients during a
consultation.
Where patients are referred on to other
specialist services, for example, counselling
services, it is important that their information
and communication needs are met by other
service providers. Patients should not
experience unreasonable delays in accessing
healthcare because of a need for accessible
information and communication support.
It is essential that advice and guidance is
sought from appropriate organisations that
represent people with sensory loss. These are
listed in Appendix 1.
5.2. Secondary Care
All staff who have daily contact with patients
and service users, including receptionists,
nurses, doctors, therapists, healthcare support
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workers and other support staff should be
trained in how to communicate effectively with
someone with sensory loss. This training
should reflect a person centred approach which
encourages staff to use clear speech and
respond appropriately to individual needs. This
applies in particular to staff based on inpatient
wards with significant numbers of older
patients.
All training should be provided by individuals or
organisations that can deliver effective and
informative training about single or dual
sensory loss. This could for example, include
using a patient’s story which considers the
communication needs of a person with sensory
loss. This training could also be part of a wider
programme of training on effective
communication skills.
Where appropriate, staff should be trained in
the use of different communication systems, for
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example, the use of Text messaging, hearing
induction loop systems and basic BSL.
All written communication, for example,
appointment letters, should be provided in
accessible formats for patients with sensory
loss and in plain English to help those who do
not have English as their first language,
including BSL users. In every instance the
individual patient should be asked to indicate
the appropriate format for them.
People with sensory loss should be able to
make or change an appointment through a
variety of contact methods as a telephone
based appointment system may be
inaccessible to them. This would include email,
text messaging, text phones and websites.
It is important that patients and service users
with sensory loss are made aware of the
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provision of these accessible forms of
communication.
As part of the referral process from primary to
secondary care the communication needs of
people with sensory loss should be identified
and there should be arrangements in place to
ensure they experience effective
communication when they visit the hospital.
A ‘flagging’ system on a patient’s computer or
paper record should enable staff to understand
the needs of the patient when they attend for
their appointment.
Good signage is important in ensuring that
people with sensory loss are able to access the
healthcare they need. To minimise anxiety and
any confusion all signs should be clear and
easy to understand.
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It is important to recognise that environmental
factors influence effective communication with
people who have sensory loss. It is important
to check that the healthcare environment is
accessible and that it encourages effective
communication. This should include lighting,
colour contrasting and background noise.
All reception and consultation areas should be
fitted with a hearing loop induction system or
other appropriate technology, for example,
portable hearing loops, allowing hearing aid
users to make full use of their hearing aids in a
potentially noisy setting. Staff should be
capable of checking that loops are functioning,
and know how to use them. There should be
appropriate signage to make patients aware of
the provision of a loop system.
Every patient or service user who requires
communication support should have this need
met by, for example, arranging a British Sign
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Language Interpreter or Lipspeaker or
providing an induction hearing loop. It is
important to have an awareness of other
communication methods that may not be as
well known, for example, speech to text or live
captioning.
Appropriate communication support should
also be provided to people with sensory loss
who may be attending an appointment in the
capacity of a carer or as the parent of a child.
It is also important to recognise any other
language needs that a patient with sensory loss
may have, for example, the Welsh language or
other minority languages. In every instance it
is important to ask the individual patient to
describe their needs.
When people with sensory loss arrive at a
healthcare setting, there should be
arrangements in place to ensure that they do
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not miss their appointment. A member of the
reception team, for example, could personally
alert someone when the healthcare
professional is ready to see them.
When people with sensory loss require hospital
care and treatment, their communication and
information needs should be identified on their
care plans and medical records. This should
also describe a patient’s individual
communication needs in a practical way. For
example, a record should not only say that a
patient is Deafblind but also requires written
communication in a minimum of Arial 14pt and
that speech should be clear. Arrangements
should be in place to ensure that their needs
are met during any period of stay on a hospital
ward.
It is important to ensure that the individual
patient is asked to identify their communication
and information needs. It is important to
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respect the autonomy of each individual patient
and ensure that the way in which their
healthcare is provided promotes independent
living.
Healthcare professionals have a responsibility
to make certain that patients with sensory loss
do not leave the healthcare setting feeling they
have missed any information. Appropriate
procedures should be in place to ensure that
information is conveyed clearly to patients
during a consultation.
It is essential that advice and guidance is
sought from appropriate organisations that
represent people with sensory loss. These are
listed in Appendix 1.
5.3. Emergency and Unscheduled Care
All staff should be trained in how to
communicate effectively with someone with a
sensory loss. This training should reflect a
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person centred approach which encourages
staff to be able to identify and respond
appropriately to their needs. This is particularly
important for clinical staff as patients and
carers need to understand what is being
communicated to them.
All appropriate staff should be trained in any
communication systems provided by the Trust.
This should include developing their awareness
of the needs for different forms of
communication.
Staff should use the skills and knowledge
received through training alongside specifically
designed resources (such as the Pre-Hospital
Communication Guide) to assist
communication with people with sensory loss.
It is important that the different forms of
communication used by the Trust are promoted
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to patients and carers with sensory loss and
they are encouraged to access them.
When patients are being conveyed or referred
to another healthcare provider, any
communication needs of the patient or their
carer, due to a sensory loss, should be relayed
as part of the referral or handover process.
A ‘flagging’ system on a patient’s computer or
paper record should enable staff to understand
the needs of the patient. In the case of 999
calls, any information that arises during the call
about communication needs due to a sensory
loss, should be included on the patient record.
All written information should be provided in
accessible formats, for patients and carers with
sensory loss and in plain English to help those
who do not have English as their first language,
including BSL users. In every instance the
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individual should be asked to indicate the
appropriate format for them.
6. Concerns and Feedback
Information on how to give feedback or raise a
concern should be in an accessible format
(large print, video clips, audio and plain
English) and provide a variety of contact
methods to meet individual needs.
In every instance the individual patient should
be asked to indicate the appropriate format for
them.
It is also important to capture monitoring data
from concerns, compliments, patient stories
and experience to identify issues or gaps in
service provision and good practice.
7. Monitoring and Review
These standards should be subject to regular
review and monitoring. Arrangements should
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be made for a designated senior officer to
report to the Board on the progress made with
improving access to healthcare for people with
sensory loss.
8. Further information
For further information and guidance please refer to
the organisations listed in Appendix 1.
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Appendix 1
Guidance and Further Information
Action on Hearing Loss Cymru Website:www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 029 2033 3034 Textphone: 029 2033 3036 Deafblind Cymru Website: www.deafblind.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0800 132 320 (Freephone) Textphone: 0800 132 320 (Freephone) Fax: 01733 358356 The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association Website: www.guidedogs.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0118 983 5555 Hearing dogs for Deaf People Website: www.hearingdogs.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01844 348100 (voice and minicom) Fax: 01844 348101 RNIB Website: www.rnib.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0303123 9999
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Sense Cymru Website: www.sense.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0845 127 0066 or 020 7520 0972 Textphone: 0845 127 0066 or 020 7520 0972 Sight Cymru Website: www.sightsupport.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01495 763550 or email Vision in Wales (Wales Council for the Blind) Website: www.wcb-ccd.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 029 2047 3954 Wales Council for Deaf People Website: www.wcdeaf.org.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01443 485687 (voice) 01443 485686 (text) Fax: 01443 408555 North Wales Deaf Association Website: www.deafassociation.co.uk Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01492 563470 Text: 07719 410355 Minicom: 01492 563475 Fax: 01492 593781
These Standards were published by NHS Wales, July 2013
